It’s easy to lump all social networking sites together and devise a one-size-fits-all book marketing strategy. This is not advisable because when promoting your book, it’s more effective to identify tactics that lend themselves to specific social media sites. Sure they’ll be some overlap but each site is unique and has its strengths and weaknesses. So, in this post, we’ll focus on ways you can build momentum on your Facebook fan page. These tactics will require your time and energy but the pay off will be worth it.

Write content that reflects your personality and expertise. Unlike Linkedin, which has a professional focus or Twitter where you’re restricted by a word-count, your personality can really shine through on your Facebook page. Newsfeeds contain a lot of information so try to inject humor, passion, and insight in your content. However, Facebook is all about pacing yourself—post once a day or several times a week. Also try to mix up different update types—a status update, a link, a note, a photo, or a video update. Finally, don’t forget to update your profile picture or cover photo every six months; both images are a reflection of your personality and interests.

Connect with authors and other groups. There are more than 800 million users on Facebook so spend some time and research other authors you admire and book or writing-related groups. By becoming a fan of other groups, you’ll gain access to a potentially marketable community of readers and writers. Make sure you join discussions and observe what others are saying. You may be able to incorporate some insights into your marketing efforts. Also “like” other groups/authors’ pages because when you do, Facebook notifies the administrators of these pages. In return, some people may decide to like your page, which will expose your name to even more readers.

Enlist your friends and fans to help spread the word. Create a community of advocates to help promote your book. Two weeks before his book “Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition” was published, author and coach Michael Stelzner developed a photo contest on Facebook. Stelzner asked people to take a creative photo with the words, “Help Me Launch.” With only 50 Facebook fans when he started the promotion, that number grew to more than 1000 during the competition. Finally, 70 people submitted a creative photo. The winner received merchandise and a free coaching session from Stelzner.

Maintain a two-way dialogue with fans. Unlike other sites, it’s easier to build a relationship on Facebook. For example, if a fan posts that they liked your book, follow up and ask what specifically resonated with them. Encourage them to leave a comment or write a review. You can also ask fans for feedback: pose questions and seek their input in your decisions.

Create a video book trailer. A video book trailer is a powerful tool that can reach people in and out of your network (videos and photos will appear in your fan’s newsfeeds). They can be expensive to produce but all you need is a good idea, then tap into your network of friends for help or post an ad seeking help to film and edit your trailer. Chances are a budding student filmmaker can help you for a minimal amount.